


Double Agent

by PrehistoricUnicorn



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, a lot of it is just rewriting the canon, adrien/cat noir POV mostly but also some gabriel, also I'm jumping on board the 'gabriel is hawkmoth to get his wife back' train, au where adrien's been in on hawkmoth's identity from the start
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2018-06-13
Packaged: 2019-05-16 10:41:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14809811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrehistoricUnicorn/pseuds/PrehistoricUnicorn
Summary: What would you do to get back someone who is dear to you? For his mother, Adrien would join forces with a super villain, deceive and endanger the whole of Paris, and betray the girl he's probably in love with.An AU where Chat Noir is a spy for Hawkmoth.





	1. Chapter 1

Gabriel Agreste entered his son’s room quietly, and stopped in the doorway.

Adrien was curled up on his bed, holding a picture of his mother, and sobbing. He hadn’t noticed Gabriel come in.

The older man watched silently for a minute. He could understand how Adrien felt. It had been a few months since Emilie’s disappearance, but he still felt raw every time he thought of her. The worst part was; there was nothing that he could do. They didn’t know why she was gone or were she was, and so far, the investigation had turned up nothing. She had vanished into thin air.

If only he had a genie lamp stashed away somewhere; all he would wish for would be to have his wife back.

He almost jumped as he remembered something he hadn’t thought of in a long time. He was the holder of the Moth Miraculous! A Kwami was a bit like a genie, right? Perhaps Nooroo would know a way?!

He turned and fled out of Adrien’s room. There was no time to waste.

 

<<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>>

 

Hearing a noise, Adrien glanced up from his photo and dried his eyes, to catch a glimpse of Gabriel leaving the room.

“Father?” he called out.

Receiving no answer, he got up and followed his father out to the hall. He reached the stairs just in time to see a red trouser leg disappear into the studio.

He hurried down the stairs and opened the door. He almost called out again, but saw that Gabriel was standing reverently in front of the portrait of his wife.

He probably wants to be left alone, Adrien thought, and went to close the door again. At that moment Gabriel pulled the painting forward, revealing a safe set into the wall behind it. Adrien paused; he never knew there was a safe there. What could possibly be in it?

He didn’t get much of a chance to look, because Gabriel only opened it long enough to take something small out, before closing it and covering it with the painting again. He looked around furtively, but didn’t seem to notice Adrien watching from the cracked open door. Then he reached for the painting, and pushed his fingers into it.

Adrien stifled a gasp as his father stepped back, and vanished into the floor.

Whatever this man was hiding from him, he wanted to know.

Taking a deep breath, he walked up to the painting and studied it.

Several minutes later, Adrien had found all the buttons to open the trap door.

Dizzy with excitement, he stepped onto the tiny elevator. He wondered where it would take him, as he moved downward into the dark. It ground to a halt, and he stepped off into a narrow corridor. After a short walk, he found another elevator identical to the first. Above him he could hear voices, but they were not near enough to make out what they were saying.

For a moment, Adrien paused. Whatever his father was hiding from him, there was probably a good reason, right? What if he discovered something that he didn’t want to know? After all, curiosity killed the cat. Then again, Adrien was no cat. Besides, he had already come this far, he might as well continue.

Mind made up, he walked onto the small elevator, and pressed the up button.

He rose into a large, dimly lit room. In front of him was his father, silhouetted against a large ornate window. Someone he couldn’t see was talking. Adrien eagerly leaned forward to listen.

“…two of these Miraculous are more powerful than the others;” said a small, high pitched voice, “the earrings of the ladybug, which provide the power of creation, and the ring of the black cat which grants the power of destruction. According to legend, whoever controls both these jewels at the same time will achieve absolute power.”

“I want that absolute power, Nooroo,” Gabriel declared, “I must have those Miraculous.”

“But nobody knows where these Miraculous are!” replied the unknown person.

Sounding a little self-satisfied, Gabriel answered,

“I found you though, my little Nooroo. Your Miraculous; remind me of its powers again.”

“The moth broach allows you to give someone their own super powers and make that person your devoted follower” recited Nooroo.

When his father spoke again, there was a malicious edge to his voice that sent a shiver down Adrien’s spine.

“And when it comes to luring super heroes, what could be better than creating super villains?”

“But Master,” Nooroo gasped, “the Miraculous are not meant to be used for evil purposes.”

“I must have this absolute power!” Gabriel thundered, stamping his foot. A hundred white butterflies fluttered into the air. Not having noticed the insects until then, Adrien was caught by surprise. He jumped back, shrieking.

He looked up, he met his father’s eyes, realising he’d given himself away. For a long moment, they just stared at each other.

Gabriel broke the silence.

“Adrien, what are you doing here? How much did you hear?” he demanded, a definite note of panic to his words.

Adrien, however, had his own questions.

“Is it true what you said?” he asked, “You’re going to turn people into super villains?”

Gabriel want pale.

“It’s not what you think!” he blurted out, “I only want to draw out the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous. I need the power to… to…”

He struggled to finish the sentence, choking on his words. Bowing his head, he quietly sobbed, and looked down at a small object in his hands.

Adrien had never seen his father like this before. Unsure what to do, he hesitantly walked over to pat the older man on the shoulder, and for the first time saw what he was holding.

A small purple broach was nestled in his hands. It was open like a locket, and inside was a picture of Emilie Agreste; Adrien’s mother.

Adrien froze, Nooroo’s words from earlier ringing in his head.

_…absolute power…_

“You’re trying to get Mom back,” he realised, inhaling sharply.

Gabriel could only nod.

For the first time in months Adrien was filled with hope. Quickly coming to a decision, he looked his father in the eye resolutely.

“What can I do to help?”


	2. Chapter 2

Adrien ran through the park, keeping an eye out for anyone who might be following him. He had been elated last night to learn there might be a way to see his Mom again. That is; until his father had said that the best way he could help was to stay safely out of the way. Meaning; he would not be starting school.

There was no way he would give up that easily though.  Adrien’s mother had been the one to suggest he begin at Collège Françoise Dupont this year, and he’d been hyping himself up for it for over six months.

He rounded a corner, making it to the street that the school was on. Just when he thought he was in the clear, a silver car swung round, pulling up to the side of the road. He sped up.

Out of the car jumped Nathalie, his father’s personal assistant.

“Adrien! Please reconsider,” she called, “you know what your father wants.”

“But this is what I want to do!” he retorted, brushing aside her subtle reference to Hawkmoth’s plans.

He turned and was about to run up the stairs, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw an old man who had fallen over, unable to reach his walking stick.

Knowing full well it would cost him his first day of school, he dashed over to help.

When he looked back, Nathalie and his body guard were blocking his path to the stairs. Sighing, he walked to the car.

 

<<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>>

 

Finished with tutoring for the day, Adrien slumped on his bed. He was angry at his father. Why couldn’t he just be a normal kid?! He knew that Paris could be a dangerous place, and was about to become even more so, but everyone else managed just fine.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

Speaking of danger…

Adrien rushed outside into his courtyard, and was astonished to see an enormous rock monster not far down the street. This must be what his father meant when he talked about turning people into super villains!

Rushing back to his room, he jumped onto the couch and flicked on the television. Every channel was broadcasting the news of a super villain’s attack on the city.

Glancing down, he noticed a small octagonal box on the table that hadn’t been there before.

“What’s this doing here?” he wondered aloud, as he picked it up and examined it.

Shrugging, he opened it, and was momentarily blinded by a bright green burst of light. As he blinked to clear the spots from his eyes, he was met with the sight of a tiny floating black cat; yawning at him. His eyes went wide.

Was this a Kwami? Adrien had been introduced to Nooroo briefly yesterday, and the being in front of him looked very similar in terms of size and proportions. That would mean…

He cast a quick glance down to the box in his hands. Yes! Inside was a black ring with a green paw print on it. This could only be the Black Cat Miraculous.

He should hand it over to his father immediately, he thought. Then again, when would he get another chance like this? He might as well make the most of it. But should he tell the Kwami what he was going to do? Probably better not. The miraculous must have been given to him to protect the city from Hawkmoth. If he told the Kwami he was working with Hawkmoth, it might turn against him. He decided to play dumb.

All this went through Adrien’s head in the time it took for the little creature to yawn and stretch out. When it finally looked up at him, he put on what he hoped was an awed face, and poked it in the belly.

“No way! Like the genie in the lamp!”

 

<<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>>

 

Jumping through his bedroom window, Adrien de-transformed and gave Plagg a large piece of what he had quickly learned was the Kwami’s favourite cheese, camembert. Satisfied Plagg was distracted, he left the room and went to look for his father, thinking over the day he’d just had. He had been a bit surprised when he met the girl who was supposed to be his partner. Ladybug; she’d called herself.

While he had gotten the hang of leaping across Paris on a magical stick fairly quickly, his first impression of her was that she was quite unsure of herself, very uncoordinated and thoroughly unprepared to take on mouse, let alone a stone monster. If she wasn’t careful it would be easy for a villain to get hold of her Miraculous.

Then again, when she’d stopped worrying and actually started fighting, she had proved to be quick at thinking under pressure, and a lot less prone to getting tangled in her own yoyo string. Perhaps she just needed some encouragement. Too bad, he thought as he entered his father’s studio, she wouldn’t be getting any from him.

 

<<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>>

 

Gabriel was looking over some new designs when his son walked into the room.

“Ah Adrien,” he greeted, looking up from his tablet, “what did you think of the akuma I sent out? The plan is working well, don’t you think? Soon we will be in possession of the two most powerful miraculous.

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, and Gabriel raised an eyebrow.

“Actually father,” the boy said slowly, “we’re already halfway there.”

He regarded his son with confusion and more than a little bit of impatience. What on earth could he be talking about?

Hesitantly, Adrien stepped forward and raised his right hand, wriggling his fingers to show off the silver ring he was wearing.

Frowning, Gabriel moved closer to study it. Then it dawned on him.

“You don’t mean to tell me that this is the ring of the black cat?!” he asked, eyes wide, “Where did you get this?”

Adrien began mumbling something about finding it in his room, but Gabriel was no longer listening. His thoughts were racing.

If Adrien was Cat Noir, then they would have the perfect opportunity to discover Ladybug’s identity, and steal her miraculous! A plan began to formulate.

Returning to reality, he realised Adrien was still talking.

“…I’m really sorry father, I just wanted to have some fun, but I’ll give it to you now.”

Gabriel smiled, and put a hand on his son’s shoulder.

“I’ve got a much better idea, my double agent.”


	3. Chapter 3

Adrien was feeling pretty pleased with himself. He’d managed to make it to school before Nathalie or his gorilla of a bodyguard could stop him, he’d met up with Chloe; who had shown him around and introduced him to a few people, and he seemed to have made a fairly good impression on his new desk-mate; Nino.

He wasn’t even particularly put out anymore that he’d been yelled at by a girl in his class. After all, it was a misunderstanding, and he was sure he could clear it up with her. What did bother him, come to think of it, was the way his classmates had reacted to Chloe. She’d always been a good friend to him, so why was it that they scowled whenever they heard her name?

After getting far too excited over his first roll-call, Adrien’s thoughts wandered to the other thing that had been worrying him. Last night on his television, along with the remaining damage from their battle, he had seen countless people be turned into stone beings. Asking Plagg, he had learned that Ladybug had forgotten to capture the akuma, and it had multiplied.

Plagg had seemed confident she would get it next time, but Adrien was still worried. Dozens of Stonehearts could do loads of damage to the city and, more importantly; the people living there. Adrien would do anything for his Mother, but he was finding it hard to justify causing all this destruction. Then again, if, as his father predicted they gained control of Ladybug’s miraculous soon after the next fight, maybe they could avoid any major _cat_ astrophe.

At any rate, he was excited to become Cat Noir again. As it was the same akuma, Stoneheart would probably appear within a few hours, and Adrien couldn’t wait. Speaking of Stoneheart; didn’t he go to this school?

“Ivan Bruel?”

CRASH!

“PRESENT!”

 

<<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>> <<<>>>

 

A short time later, Cat Noir had found his way to the bottom of the Eiffel Tower, and was watching, horrified, as his childhood friend Chloe plummeted towards the ground. At the last second, Ladybug managed to jump and catch her, but Cat Noir was so shocked that for a moment, he froze.

What would have happened if she hadn’t gotten there on time? His extremely long list of friends would be down to zero. Chloe wasn’t the best friend sometimes, but he didn’t know what he would do if he lost her. The worst thing was, he knew he would be partially to blame for being a part of this whole conspiracy. And his dumb brain had been so shocked, he hadn’t even been able to catch her!

But Ladybug; she was a true heroine. He looked at his spotted partner with newfound awe and gratitude. Only then did he notice the argument she was having with the Chief of Police.

“…move aside and let the pros do their thing,” he was saying, “you’ve already failed once.”

An argument froze on Ladybug’s lips, and she stopped, unsure of herself.

She glanced at him, doubt clear in her furrowed brow and tense mouth.

“He’s right you know,” she mumbled, “If I had captured Stoneheart’s akuma the first time around, none of this would have happened. I knew I wasn’t the right one for this job!”

Staring down into her concerned eyes, Cat Noir felt trapped. He knew his father would want him to get her miraculous right then and there, under the guise of finding someone else to help him since she couldn’t. On the other hand, however, he was just starting to see the potential this girl had to be a brilliant superheroine, and it was crushing him to see how hopeless she felt.

Making a snap decision, he put a hand on her shoulder.

“No,” he told her firmly, “he’s wrong, because without you she’d no longer be here, and because without us they won’t make it, and we’ll prove that to them. Trust me on this, okay?”

She blinked up at him, and he thought he saw hope returning to her eyes. His heart soared. Giving a curt nod, she answered him.

“Okay.”

At that moment Stoneheart started to cough from his perch up on the Eiffel Tower. A cloud of dark butterflies burst from his mouth, and he collapsed.

The butterflies fluttered together and formed into a face that Cat Noir recognized as Hawkmoth’s.

It began to speak;

“People of Paris, listen carefully. I am Hawkmoth”

“Hawkmoth?!” Ladybug uttered, and Cat Noir copied her, feigning surprise.

Hawkmoth continued;

“Ladybug,” he said, then quickly added, “Cat Noir!”

“Give me the ladybug earrings and the cat ring now. You’ve done enough damage to these innocent people.”

He was interrupted by slow clapping. Cat Noir looked over to Ladybug, and saw her walking forward slowly, oozing confidence. He blinked, surprised. Where had that come from?

“Nice try Hawkmoth,” she replied, “but we know who the bad guy is. Let’s not reverse the roles here. Without you; none of these innocent victims would be transformed into villains.”

Her casual air dropped, and her voice grew intense.

“Hawkmoth;” she declared, punctuating each remark, “no matter how long it takes, we will find you, and you will hand us your miraculous.”

She finished by raising her hand to point at the looming purple face, before climbing the tower in leaps and bounds. Still flying through the air, she cut through the butterflies, catching them by the hundreds until none remained.

The entire city watched as she straightened up, and turned to face back the way she had come.

“Let me make this promise to you;” she proclaimed, “no matter who wants to harm you, Ladybug and Cat Noir will do everything in our power to keep you safe.”

She opened her yoyo. As the hordes of newly cleansed white butterflies exploded out from her, Cat Noir gazed up in admiration. Who was this girl, who so cared about her city that she could shove her own insecurities aside like that? Who was this girl, who could deliver the perfect speech that had so thoroughly ousted Hawkmoth and reaffirmed the citizens of Paris in one go? Who was this girl, who could make everyone, even him; her enemy, believe in her, even while doubting herself?

“Wow,” he breathed, “whoever she is beneath that mask, I love that girl”

Realising what he’d spoken aloud, he blushed and looked around. If his father had heard him say that; he’d be dead.


End file.
